A Home for Her Daughter

by Jill Weatherholt

  “We did—I mean, we do. Yes, I agree with you. It’s just—” He raked his hand through his hair.

  “Is it Riley?” Was she being insensitive? Putting her own wants and needs before Drew’s feelings. Seeing Riley every day couldn’t be easy. “I can do some juggling with her schedule so she’s not around you so much.”

  Drew shook his head and picked up the serving dish containing rows of hamburger patties and hot dogs. “That wouldn’t be fair to her, or to you. She’s excited about the camp and running it with you is something that will make her happy.” One by one, he placed the burgers on the grill, and sizzling sounds erupted as flames danced around the grease.

  Janie’s stomach rumbled at the tantalizing aroma of the food. “But what about you? I want you to have your dream. After everything you’ve been through, you deserve it.”

  Drew picked up the spatula and flipped the burgers. “As hard as it’s been for me to be around Riley, I think she’s helped me to cope with my loss.” He hesitated. “And maybe I’m helping her, too, by filling the void left when you and her father divorced.”

  Janie wouldn’t admit it to Drew, but he was right. Since meeting him, Riley had dropped several hints about Drew making a good father. And he would, but it frightened her. Janie couldn’t bear to see her daughter hurt again. “I’m happy that she’s helped you, Drew.”

  “Just the people I was looking for.” Janie whirled around to the deep, raspy voice approaching from behind.

  “Mr. Mayor.” Drew gave a nod to the short and portly man. “Sir, this is Janie Edmiston. She lived in Whispering Slopes when she was younger. She recently moved back with her daughter.”

  The mayor extended his hand. “I’ve heard a lot of good things about you from Elsie Buser.”

  “It’s nice to meet you, sir.” Janie accepted the firm handshake.

  “Why were you looking for us?” Drew asked the mayor.

  He cleared his throat. “Two reasons, actually. First, I wanted to congratulate both of you on the reopening. I know Mrs. Applegate would be proud of the work you’ve put into bringing her dream back to life. This camp is such a big part of Whispering Slopes’ history. I’m thrilled to see such a big turnout today.”

  The mayor’s words caused a lump to form in Janie’s throat. She missed her dear friend and wished she could be here with them to celebrate. “Thank you so much for your kind words, Mr. Mayor.”

  “Please, call me Ben.”

  “Ben.” Her lashes were damp with tears. “Mrs. Applegate touched so many lives. Growing up, she was like a mother to me. Keeping this camp open to honor her memory is the least I can do.” She’d never forget everything Mrs. Applegate had done for her. Even now, she continued to make a better life for her and Riley.

  “You both have done an outstanding job. You work well together. That leads me to the second item I wanted to speak with you about.” Ben eyed the hamburgers sizzling on the grill. “I was thrilled to hear about the outdoor adventure business the two of you plan to open. There’s been a lot of buzz and excitement.”

  “Boy, word really does get around in a small town, doesn’t it?” Drew laughed.

  Janie spoke up. “I’m afraid that’s my doing, Drew. After you told me about your idea, I was so excited—maybe too excited. I shared the news with a few parents and Mrs. Buser.”

  “I see.”

  Judging by his response, Janie couldn’t tell if he was upset with her. “I’m sorry. It wasn’t my news to share.”

  Ben turned his focus on Drew who was busy flipping the burgers. “Don’t be upset with her. She might have done you and all of us a big favor.”

  “How so?” Drew questioned.

  Ben stepped a little closer, checked his surroundings and lowered his voice. “Let’s be honest here. We all know Mrs. Buser can—well, you know...talk. I always say to my wife, if you want something to be known around town, tell Mrs. Buser. Bless her heart. Anyway, she’s already called her connections at all of the newspapers and news channels in the area to arrange for you two to do interviews for the paper and on the local news. Isn’t that great?”

  Janie’s stomach flipped. What had she done? While Drew was reconsidering going forward with his new business, Mrs. Buser was out marketing to the entire state. How could she fix this mess?

  “So?” Ben looked at Drew, then Janie. “What do you guys think?”

  “Well—”

  “No, Drew, let me explain,” Janie interrupted Drew, then mouthed “I’m sorry” before turning to Ben. “I’m afraid I jumped the gun in discussing the adventure center with Mrs. Buser. Earlier, when Drew told me about it, he was only considering it.”

  Ben looked at Drew with his brow arched. “Is that true, son?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Well, what can I do to help convince you that your idea would be the best thing to happen to Whispering Slopes in a long time? If money is an issue, I’m sure we can get some help from the community,” the man offered.

  Drew grabbed a clean plate from the nearby picnic table. “We’ve got a lot of hungry people here today. I better get these hamburgers off the grill and throw on the hot dogs. Can I think about it some more?”

  “Of course. I didn’t mean to come over here and pressure you, Drew. I was so thrilled to hear about your plans. I suppose I got a little carried away, too. You enjoy today and take your time making a decision. I’ll tell Mrs. Buser to hold off with the press.” He patted Drew’s shoulder. “Now, how about one of those burgers? I’m starving.”

  Wearing a big smile, Ben headed off for a place to sit down to enjoy his meal. Janie spun around on her heel. “I’m so sorry, Drew. I should have never opened my big mouth to Mrs. Buser. I had no idea she’d call the media.”

  Drew removed the last hamburger from the grill. A smile parted his lips as he gazed over the crowd of excited guests. “It’s not your fault. This is probably the nudge that I need to move on and put the past behind me. Plus, we can’t let all of these people down now, can we? Besides, how can we fail when we’ve got a one-woman marketing team like Mrs. Buser in our corner?” He placed the platter on the grill side table and reached out his hand. “Do you want to shake on it—partner?”

  Janie’s face felt warm as Drew held her hand. A tingling sensation shot up her arm. Her reaction surprised her. Stunned her was more like it. Yes, she’d had feelings for him when she was younger. But that was all in the past. Wasn’t it? It had to be if they were going to be working so closely together. She couldn’t allow her heart to weaken and risk her secret being exposed. Business partners. That’s all they could be—all they could ever be.

  Chapter Twelve

  The blaring alarm clock jarred Drew from a deep sleep. Reaching over, he pressed his hand on the button and rolled onto his back. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had such a peaceful night of rest.

  He stared at the ceiling. Today was the day. Excitement coursed through his veins in anticipation of the day’s schedule. First, an appointment with the attorney to pick up the deed to the land left to him by Mrs. Applegate. After, he planned to meet with Janie and Larry to set up the partnership agreement for the sports center.

  Six days had passed since the opening of the camp and Drew’s discussion with the mayor. During that time, he’d gone to his special place and prayed each morning. On the third day, he’d given notice to his employer before making a call to the mayor to let him know his decision. There was no turning back now.

  Padding into the kitchen, he flipped the switch on the coffee maker before taking a seat at the table. As he fired up his laptop, the aroma of fresh brew filled the air. He pulled up the Whispering Slopes Times website and smiled at the article filling the front page, along with an oversize photograph of the mayor. A lengthy story announced the plans to open Rocky River Camp and Outdoor Adventures. The paper had also posted a picture taken of Drew and Ja
nie at the camp opening. There was no turning back. Their partnership was now official. When the coffee maker beeped, Drew rose from the table to begin his day.

  Later that morning, Drew turned into the parking lot of his attorney’s office and spotted Janie’s car. He strolled through the lot, removing his sunglasses when he reached the door. Upon entering, he blinked several times in the dark room, wondering if his eyes were adjusting from coming in out of the bright sunlight. He blinked again. No. The lights were definitely off in the suite. “Hello? Is anyone here?” The front desk was empty, but he heard noises coming from down the hall. “Larry?”

  Janie entered the reception area holding a cup of coffee. “Hello, Drew.” She smiled, taking a quick sip.

  “Did Larry forget to pay his electric bill?” Drew joked.

  “Oh no. He said they lost power from the storm last night. The power company said it would be back on by nine o’clock this morning.” She glanced at her watch. “Obviously they’ve underestimated their repair time.”

  Drew looked around the room. “Where’s the munchkin?”

  “She’s helping Mrs. Buser with the store. I told her I’d pick her up when we’re done and we’d go over to our new home before Laura Marie and Mark take the kids on their nature hike.” Janie smiled and released a slow breath. “I can’t believe I’m even saying that—our new home. It hasn’t quite sunk in yet.”

  “It will once you’re settled.” Drew was thrilled for Janie and Riley. “Mark and Laura Marie were great hires.” When the director from the community college in Grayson’s Gap called with two recommendations, both forestry majors, the decision was easy.

  Janie nodded. “You’re not kidding. They’re great with the kids.”

  Drew made a mental note to call the school. Maybe they’d have a few more referrals for the new business. “Do you want me to come with you to the house? I can take care of some of the minor repairs. It shouldn’t take too long. Then we can head to the camp together. I’d like to run a few ideas past Laura Marie and Mark.”

  Drew noticed Janie’s shoulders relax before she answered. “I was hoping you’d offer to come over, Drew. I’m a little nervous. I’ve never owned a home.”

  “This isn’t a time for worrying, Janie. You should be celebrating the start of your new life.”

  “Hello, Drew.” Larry Caldwell entered the room. “Sorry about the electrical issues. We can still take care of the deed and draw up the partnership agreement, but you’ll have to wait on copies of the documents.”

  “Good to see you.” Drew extended his hand to his lawyer. “No worries on the paperwork. I just hope you’re not left in the dark all day. That was some storm we had last night. I saw some downed power lines on the way over.”

  “Let’s step into the conference room and get started. There’s more daylight in there.” Larry chuckled. “By the way—” he glanced at Janie “—your funds have been wired into your account. If you’d like the name of a good investor, let me know. Oh, and Drew, after our discussion about your timeline for opening, I planned to put the fifteenth of August into the agreement,” he added. “Is that okay?”

  Drew turned to Janie and she nodded. “That works for us, sir,” he answered.

  The three walked down the hall and into the conference room. Drew considered Janie. So much had changed since they’d first reconnected at the reading of Mrs. Applegate’s will. Today she was the owner of a lovely home and potentially a successful camp and outdoor adventure facility. If she invested wisely, she’d have enough money to provide a comfortable life for her and her daughter. Now she was officially committing to becoming Drew’s business partner. A lot was changing for him, as well. With help from Janie, he was excited to see the dream he and his wife once had come to life.

  Forty minutes later, Drew pulled up in front of Janie and Riley’s new home. How many laps had he run around the wraparound porch as a child? The house held a lot of memories for many who’d grown up in Whispering Slopes. Mr. and Mrs. Applegate were loved by the community. Drew knew Janie would be as welcoming as the previous owners. He’d watched her interact with the kids since the camp opened, and she was great with them. He only hoped he could follow her lead. Being around Riley was one thing, but he found it more of a struggle with a larger group of kids. Of course, he’d have to get over it and the sooner the better.

  Placing the car into Park, Drew exited the vehicle, pocketing his keys. He sauntered toward the house. His shoes crunched on the gravel driveway until he reached the cement sidewalk leading to the porch steps. He took a seat and looked out on to the property, shading his eyes from the bright July sun as the cicadas buzzed. Although the camp wasn’t visible from the porch, in the distance Drew heard the sound of children’s laughter carrying across the rolling fields that surrounded the house.

  When his phone chimed, he removed it from his back pocket and read the incoming text message reminding him of his meeting tomorrow with the architect. Drew had sent him some rough ideas for the main sports facility and tomorrow he’d see the plans. Thing were moving along quickly.

  A car traveling over the rocks took Drew’s eyes off his phone. A black sedan with tinted windows stirred up dust as it approached. Drew stood, squinting at the vehicle, unable to see the driver. The car came to an abrupt stop. A second later, it accelerated and made a rapid U-turn off the driveway and into the grass before it sped from the house. Strange.

  Drew scratched his head as he remembered the bold house number on the mailbox along the roadside. He shrugged his shoulders. Maybe they’d missed it and mistakenly turned down the wrong driveway. But something didn’t feel right.

  * * *

  “Thanks for fixing the leak under the kitchen sink, earlier.” Janie’s fingers tapped out numbers on the keyboard.

  She loved the office she’d set up for her and Drew in the activity building. They each had their own matching maple desks that faced separate windows. Their backs were to each other in order to maintain a little privacy. A large lateral file cabinet with framed photos of Riley on top lined the wall near the door. A brown-and-cream-colored oriental rug covered the center of the tiled floor.

  At first she didn’t think sharing an office would be a good idea. Lately, being in close proximity to Drew had her thinking about what could have been. But she couldn’t venture down that path. She had a new business to get off the ground and a daughter to care for. There was no time to give her heart to another man. Besides, what was the point? She’d learned the hard way that romantic love equals pain. Janie was determined to think with her head and not her heart.

  “No problem. The sink was an easy fix.” Drew swiveled his chair around to face Janie. “You’re really fast on that.” He pointed to the computer.

  Janie considered Drew’s remark. Her ex-husband used to tell her she must not know how to operate a computer judging by all of the mathematical errors she made in their checkbook. Two months into their marriage, he’d taken over all of their finances. He changed the passwords on the online bank accounts as well as their investments. He’d taken control of everything...including her life.

  Shaking away the thoughts, she laughed. “Over ten years ago, when I was first married, I briefly worked in an office. Over time, I got faster and faster.”

  “How come you only worked there for a short amount of time?” Drew stretched back in his chair, swinging his gaze in her direction.

  Pulling her hand from her work, she massaged her right temple with her fingertip. For a second, Janie thought about sharing her past with Drew, but what would be the point? Either he’d feel sorry for her or he’d think she was a fool for staying in the marriage as long as she had. If she was going to move on with her life, then all of the pain that went along with the past needed to be buried. Talking about it would only reopen wounds that she’d tried so hard to mend. Though some days, it felt like a losing battle. “We decided we wanted to try to
start a family,” she responded, hoping he’d move on to another topic.

  “So you didn’t want to be one of those do-it-all moms?”

  Her stomach twisted. Why was he so curious about her past? “No, my husband thought it was best for me—for Riley, if I stayed home to be a full-time mother.” Janie observed Drew’s left brow arch.

  “So you didn’t get a say in the matter?”

  Janie shrugged. “I didn’t bring in the income to justify the day care expense.”

  Silence lingered until the air-conditioning powered on. The thermostat was kept low and made their office quite cold. Janie was happy she didn’t need to make up any excuse for keeping her jacket on. “Let me finish this and if you’re ready, the kids should be returning from their hike. I can take them to the cafeteria if you’d like to speak with Mark and Laura Marie.” She turned back to her work and Drew did the same.

  A short time later, with the administrative duties complete, Janie and Drew headed outside to meet up with the children. A warm breeze danced in the air.

  “It feels good to get out of that cold office.” Drew stretched his arms overhead.

  “Mr. Drew!”

  Janie whirled toward her daughter’s voice. Riley raced down the path to the clearing. She couldn’t get to Drew fast enough. Janie’s heart tugged at the sight of Riley flying into his arms and Drew spinning her around like she was on a carnival ride. The feelings bubbling in Janie’s heart were conflicting. She was angry at her ex-husband, yet drawn to Drew’s kindness. His gentle ways were helping her daughter cope with the reality that her father had disowned his child just to get back at her mother.

  “I’m getting dizzy!” Riley giggled as she whirled through the air.

  Drew placed her on the ground and she staggered toward her mother.

  “Did you have a good time on the hike?” Janie brushed her daughter’s hair away from her eyes.